Development and evaluation of a semifield test for repellent efficacy testing.

ABSTRACT

Estimation of the efficacy of mosquito repellents requires both laboratory and field tests. The results of field tests are more meaningful, but the safety of volunteers in such tests may be a significant concern. In the current study, we compared tests of mosquito repellent efficacy under semifield conditions in an outdoor enclosure with those under laboratory and field conditions. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide under laboratory conditions with human volunteers and under semifield and field conditions with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traps and experimental mice. A semifield test may be a suitable replacement for the more difficult field test for assessment of mosquito repellent efficacy. Semifield tests should be considered when developing new guidelines for testing.